A volunteer for U.S. Republican presidential candidate and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich speaks on a telephone at the Newt 2012 Polk County headquarters office in Lakeland, Florida. [REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton]

While all eyes are on the Republican race in Florida, Democrat Obama was at fundraiser with about 50 donors at a Washington hotel. Press pool was allowed in to hear Obama tell them that he’s proud of his administration’s track record, including 22 consecutive months of job growth, health care reform, Wall Street reform and the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell -- but he’s also mindful of work that remains, according to pool report.

by joanne allen2/1/2012 1:10:08 AM

Do we think that the moon colony idea was the tipping point for Gingrich? #FLPrimary

And Obama marks the evening with a second fundraiser - after raising some $1.7 million earlier. The president will deliver remarks at a fundraising dinner at a private residence in Chevy Chase, Maryland, with nearly 70 guests. Tickets for this event start at $35,800 per couple. That times 70 comes to $2.5 million.

by patricia.zengerle2/1/2012 1:13:16 AM

Reuters: Florida is the largest nominating contest so far in the state-by-state battle to pick a Republican to face Democratic U.S. President Barack Obama in the Nov. 6 election.

by Matthew Keys2/1/2012 1:13:27 AM

Last night, Letterman monolog: "Newt Gingrich wants to build a colony on the moon. If Newt Gingrich is president I’m going to the colony on the moon."

Gingrich got 29 percent of women's votes on Tuesday, CNN says, citing exit polls. Remember this - that's among Republican only women. Florida is a closed primary - everyone who voted has to be a registered Republican. So Newt isn't appealing to Republican women - not sure how he'd play with Independents and Democrats. And there's a gender gap in US politics anyway, with women skewing more toward Democrats. Romney's win among men was only about 3 percentage points.

CAIRO - The United States and Egypt are returning to a "stronger base" in bilateral ties despite tensions and human rights concerns, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Sunday after talks with his Egyptian counterpart.